Wrench having pivotable and relatively adjustable jaws



M. MANN July 23, 1957 WRENCH HAVING PIVOTABLE AND RELATIVELY ADJUSTABLE JAWS Filed Oct. 17. 1955 United States Patent-O WRENCH HAVING PIVOTABLE, RELATIVELY ADJUSTABLE :JAWS

Morley Mann, Lombard, Ill.

Application ctober17, 1955, Serial him-"540,792

4 Claims. (CI. 81-91) My invention relates to wrenchesespecially .of the adjustable type, the instant disclosure being animprovement over my invention disclosed in Patent.No. 2,708,384.

An important object of my invention is .to provide a ratcheting type of wrench which can be used to -grip polygonal objects such as nuts, which may be utilized for tightening and looseningpipe connections, which has mating jaws pivotally mounted and fulcrumed indiagonal relationship so as to elfectuate agripping action when turned in one direction and .a ratcheting action when turned in a contra direction, and which has an enlarged hub or boss portion providing a bearing for means for adjusting one of the jaws to vary the sizeof the workreceiving gap.

A further object of my invention is to provide releaseable locking means which will permit the wrench to remain open in order to straddle a nut or polygonal formation on a union which may be mounted in a system of piping as distinguished from readily accessible nuts to which the wrench could be axially applied.

A still further object of my invention is to provide .a pair of mating jaws in a wrench of the afore-mentioned character which are urged into closed positionby means of one spring overpowering another .spring; the springs not functioning in the event the wrench .is set to open position.

A still further object of my invention is to provide spring-actuated ball-locking means operating in concert with detent or promontory means provided-on one of the jaw supports.

.A still further object of my invention .is to .provide a wrench of the afore-mentioned character which is convenient and simple to operate, practical in its construction and of such simpleelemental construction as to warrant economical manufacture thereof in quantity production.

Other objects and ancillary advantages inherent in my invention will become apparent from an examination of the accompanying drawings, wherein like symbols are used to designate like parts, and in which;

Fig. 1 is a front view .of my invention shown inclosed or normal position.

Fig. 2 is a top view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front view :of :the operative portion of the wrench showing in full lines and dotted lines the position .of the jaw elements for gripping and ratcheting respectively.

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section looking in the direction of line 4--4 on Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front view on the same scale as Fig. 1, parts being broken away and shownin section, and shows the wrench jaws retained in open position preparatory to straddling a nut or polygonal formation of a union which may be not accessible endwise.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front view corresponding to Fig. 5, but showing the wrench jaws closed on a hexagonal nut.

Fig. 7 corresponds to Fig. 6 but shows a slight modification ofmy invention in that the jaw elements are serrated similar to aSti1lson type of wrench was to afford good ggripping relationship with a vpipe or a similarly shapedpipe accessory or fitting.

Referring to ithe various views my invention is:generally designated 8, and includes a handle 9 of suitable length and provided with an enlarged hub portion 10 which is integral with-a further enlarged bearing portion '11. The bearing portion 11 is slotted at 12 in order to furnish an operating seat fora knurled and threaded nut The nut 13 is operated whenever it is desired to wary the size of the work-receiving gap' formed by inner and outer, jaws 15 and 20 of the wrench.

The hub portion 10 has a tongue portion'14 thereon which is cutaway asindicated at 18 in order to furnish ample clearance for the inner jaw 15, and which-provides an anchoring section fora pivot pin 17 on which bifurcated legs .of the jaw 15 are pivotably secured, 'rear edges '16 of the legs of the jaw 15 being arcuately cut away so that they will clear the hub portion 10 during operation of the wrench.

)n a frontedgexof the tongue portion 14 is mounted a flatspring 33 anchored in place by a screw 34 or any other suitable means may be employed for biasing the jaw 15 to open position. The jaw 15 is provided with a ,gripping portion 19, the mating outer jaw 20 being provided with a like V gripping portion .21 so that the two V portions v19 :and 21 will operate in concert to grip a nut 29 as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 6.

The outer jaw .20 has an elongated shank 22 terminating in a bifurcated section 36 whichstraddles a tongue portion 40 of a threaded support .31 and which pivots on .a pin 23 that extends through the tongue'portion 40. The threaded support 31 is provided'with flat opposite sides 32 and is slidable in a broached out guideway 30 in "the bearing portion .11, the flat sides 32 preventing rotation of the threaded :support 31. Thus when't'he nut 13 is rotated in one direction it will advance the jaw 20 to increase the gap between the V portions 19 and 21 (.see" Fig. 6), and when operated in a contra direction it will red'uce thegap (see Figs. 1 and 3).

The .outer jaw 20 is biased to closed position by a leaf spring 25 having a hump portion 26 so as toaiford 'sulficient flexibility and prevent the spring from breaking in use, the spring 25 being secured to the tongue extension 40 by means of a screw 27. A shallow groove 24 is provided in the arcuate outer edge of the jaw 20 and a :lip 28 operates therein so as to maintain the spring 25 Iinxproper alignment during swinging movement of the jaw20. The wrench jaws '15 and 20, respectively, are provided with confronting straightsides 47 and 46 which make straight-line contact when the jaws assume their workg-ripping positions, and are also provided with confronting straight ledges 48 and 49 which in concert with the edges 46 and 47 tend to interlock the jaws when the jaws are adjusted to their-minimum gap and are being used to tighten or loosen a nut.

The biasing force of the jaw-closing spring '25 is strong enough to overpower the jaw-opening spring 33 whenever the-jaws. approach their fully closed positions, whereby thesprings 25. and 33 per-mitthewrench to be ratcheted about a polygonal object so as to either tighten or loosen thsame "as situations require.

When it is desired to either apply the wrench to, or remove the wrench from, a polygonal formation or a nut which happens to be part of a union or coupling used as a pipe fitting, so that the wrench cannot be applied or removed endwise, then the jaws may be opened to the positions indicated in Fig. and the jaw. 20 adjustedso as to provide whatever size gap is required. The wrench jaws will then remain in such open positions, the spring -33..maintaining the jaw inits open position, whereas the jaw base bore 37 which contains-a spring 38 and a. ball 39, the spring-actuated ball entering a recess in a promontory 41 on the tongueportion dillwhen the jaw 20 reaches its outermost position, the jaw-closingspring being inadequate to overcome the locking action of the spring-seated ball 3?. .The bifurcated section 36 straddles the tongue portion 40 and is maintained in pivoted relationship by the pivot pin 23. The axes of the pivots 17 and 23 are laterally spaced from a longitudinal axis of the handle and are'mutually offset along said'axis, the amount of offset being inversely proportional to the gap between the jaws'. f v

Thus if the wrench is applied to a nut 29 while the jaws are maintained open as shown in Fig. 5, they may be snapped into their closed positions (see Figs. 1, 3 and 6) for either a tightening or loosening operation on the nut 29., the type of operation depending on the direction in which the jaws face, as the wrench is applied to the nut. It should be noted that the edge 18 of the tongue portion 14 and a wall 35 between the bifurcations of the jaw 15 cooperate to limit opening movement of the jaw 15 when the spring 33 urges the same to open position. The wrench is operated to loosen or tighten a threaded object by turning the Wrench alternately in the directions indicated by arrows 50.

The wrench jaws 15 and 20 may have serrated V portions 44 and 43 as illustrated in Fig. 7 so as to permit the wrench to be utilized on a pipe element 45 or onsimilarly shaped pipe fittings during the assembly or dismantling thereof.

Although the drawings and the above specification disclose the best modes in which I have contemplated embodying my invention, I desire to be in no Way limited to the details of such disclosure, for in the further practical application of my invention many changes in the form and construction thereof may be made as circumstances require or'experience suggests without departing from the function of the invention as expounded within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described and revealed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An adjustable wrench adapted to grip varied shapes of units when rotated in one direction and further adapted to slip on said units when rotated in a contra direction, comprising a handle provided with a bearing portion and a tongue portion, a threaded support provided with flat means and fitted to operate slidably in said bearing portion, a tongue portion of said threaded support, a transverse slot in said bearing portion, nut means mounted on said threaded support and confined in said transverse slot, a pair of complementary jaws each articulately secured to one of said tongue portions by pivot means, said pivot means being disposed on axes laterally spaced from a longitudinal axis of said handle and being offset along said axis, primary spring means secured to one of said tongue portions and pressing against one of said complementary jaws, and secondary spring means secured to the other of said tongue portions and pressing against the other of said complementary jaws.

2. An adjustable wrench adapted to grip varied shapes of units when rotated in one direction and further adapted to slip on said units when rotated in a contra direction, comprising a handle provided with a bearing portion and a tongue portion, a threaded support provided with flat means and fitted to operate slidablyin said bearing portion, a tongue portion on said threaded support, a transverse slot in said bearing portion, nut means mounted on said threaded support and confined in said transverse slot, a pair of complementary jaws each articulately secured to one of said tongue portions, pivot means for securing said jaws disposed on aXes laterally spaced from a longitudinal axis of said handle and being offset along said axis, primary spring means secured to one of said tongue portions and pressing against one of said complementary jaws, secondary spring means secured to the other of said tongue portions and pressing against the other of said complementary jaws, a promontory on said secondmentioned tongue portion defining detent means, and spring-urged locking means mounted in the other of said complementary jaws for releasably engaging said detent means to hold the latter jaw in open position.

3. An adjustablewrench adapted to grip varied shapes of units when rotatedin one direction and further adapted to slip on said units when rotated in a contra direction, comprising a handle provided with a bearing portion and a tongue portion, a threaded support provided with fiat means and fitted to operate slidably in said bearing portion, a tongue portion on said threaded support, a transverse slot in said bearing portion, nut means mounted on said threadedsupport and confined in said transverse slot, a pair of complementary jaws each articulately secured to one of said tongue portions, pivot means 101' securing said jaws disposed on axes laterally spaced from a longitudinal axis of said handle and being offset along said axis, primary spring means secured to one of said tongue portions and pressing against one of said complementary jaws, and secondary spring means secured to the other of said ton'gue 'portionsand pressing against the other of said complementary jaws, said primary spring means urging said one jaw to operative position, said secondary spring means urging said other jaw to inoperative position, said primary spring means being capable of overpowering the eifects of said secondary spring means.

4. An adjustable wrench adapted to grip varied shapes or units when rotated in one direction and further adapted to slip -on said units when rotated in a contra direction, comprising a handle provided with a bearing portion and a tongue portion, a threaded support provided with flat means and fitted to operate slidably in said bearing portion, a tongueportion on said threaded support, a transverse slot in said bearing portion, nut means mounted on'said threaded support and confined in said transverse slot, a pair of complementary jaws each articulatelj', secured to one of said tongue portions, pivot means for securing said jaws disposed on axes laterally spaced from a I a longitudinal axis of said handle and being offset along said axis, primary spring means secured to one of said tongue portions and pressing against one of said complementary jaws, secondaryspring means secured to the other of said "tongue portions and pressing against the other ofsaid complementary jaws, and interlockable edges on both said complementary'jaws, said edges making contact for interlock only when said jaws are adjusted to their minimum gap by said nut means and said wrench is swung to'effectively grip and rotate one of said units.

cl References Cited in the file of this patent I UNITED STATES' PATENTS 915,699 Quinley Mar. 16, 1909 1,386,136 Sibbald Aug. 2, 1921 1,573,722 Logan Feb. 16, 1926 2,708,384 Mann May 17, 1955 

